The effects of climate change can be difficult to measure, but the data we do have is startling. Unusually high temperatures in Western Europe, likely the result of climate change, raised the average summer death toll by 70,000.
We have more to worry about than heatstroke when it comes to climate change. Temperature controls so much of the planet’s function, not to mention the creatures living on it.
Over the next 100 years, the global temperature is expected to rise between three and 5 degrees. This may not seem like much until you consider that some places are only a few degrees below freezing during certain parts of the year.
We’ll address some more effects of climate change in this article.
Table of Contents
1. Heatstroke
As our example from Europe proves, higher temperatures will likely mean more cases of heat exhaustion and even heatstroke.
It doesn’t take that much for the body to get overheated. If somebody is out working or playing in high heat, they could start to suffer from heat exhaustion. If you feel weak, are sweating a lot, feel your heart pounding, and your skin looks pale, go inside.
If you throw up or pass out, go to the hospital. These are signs of a serious case.
Even temperatures in the lower 90’s put people at a higher risk of heat exhaustion.
2. Hunger and Thirst
Higher temperatures will have a larger effect on crops and water supplies. More temperate regions may find themselves experiencing more droughts or famines than usual.
Poor nutrition is responsible for a few million deaths each year. Please note that we blamed poor nutrition, not starvation.
People don’t starve to death very often, but many don’t get a very nutritious diet. When you don’t eat that much and don’t eat a large variety of foods, your body doesn’t function as well. This means that when illnesses come around, your body doesn’t have as much strength to fight them off.
The damage to food and water sources caused by climate change could make this problem even worse.
3. Diseases
We’ve mentioned that one of the effects of climate change is higher temperatures. Do you know what kind of creatures do well in warmer temperatures? The answer is mosquitoes, bacteria, and other things that cause sickness.
Mosquitoes thrive in any temperature above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria, on the other hand, grows the fastest in temperatures between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s one of the unfortunate climate change facts we now have to deal with.
This combination of less food and more mosquitoes could lead to disaster. If you want to help prevent such disasters, consider joining the Climate Leadership Council.
The Effects of Climate Change
There are numerous negative effects of climate change, and they all play into each other in interesting ways. Usually, their interactions make the situation even worse.
We’ve discussed a few results of climate change, but there are many more out there. We encourage you to do more research on your own so you can be better informed about risks, consequences, and possible solutions.
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